Blog Posts

Printing Everest!

2/22/2017

Relief collagraph of the north face of Everest - David Stott 2017

On Sunday 19th February Lynne and I went to ArtisOn near Masham. Lynne had been there at the end of October for a 'christmas fused glass' workshop. She enjoyed it so much that she decided to attend another workshop called 'Colourful Fused Glass - Coasters and Plaques' led by Zoe Simon. While Lynne was doing her fused glass I spent the day at a workshop entitled 'Printmaking without a Press'.

A creative 'day out' provided a therapeutic tonic for both of us.

My printmaking workshop was led by Hester Cox. Over the last few years we have enjoyed seeing Hester's work, particularly her 'Vale of York Viking Hoard' print exhibition at the Mercer Gallery in Harrogate in 2011. She is a full-time printmaker specialising in collagraphs but is interested in all aspects of printmaking. She lives and works in Horton-in-Ribblesdale in North Yorkshire. Collagraph, linocut, photopolymer, drypoint and monotype are her preferred methods and she often combines these to create one richly coloured and textured print. She states that her 'printmaking is informed by her surroundings and that she seeks out evidence of the natural world that is particular to that environment'.

You can see a gallery of Hester's printmaking on her website: www.hestercox.com

Before lunch we spent time working on our relief collagraph. I had already decided to attempt a print of the north face of Everest. We used mount-board as the base for our plate to print from. We used a scalpel to cut away some of the surface of the mount-board. This meant that the ink would not touch this lower surface and so create the lighter sky and the snow on the north face of Everest. I actually completely cut out the circle for the moon and the snow-field on Changtse, which is the mountain in the foreground. I then used gesso and wood-glue to create the rocky surface of the mountain. Over lunchtime Hester sealed our printing plates with a thin varnish. This means that in the future we can use them to print off further copies.

In the afternoon we had a printing session. It was with great anticipation we rolled the printing ink onto our plates. I had no idea how my print would turn out. Once the plate was 'inked' we placed a piece of white Japanese paper on top. We then used a bamboo 'baren' to carefully rub the paper onto the inked plate. The magic moment arrived when I was able to peel back the paper to reveal my print of the north face of Everest. It was so exciting!

We also worked on a block of soft pink material that enabled us to use a linocutting technique, once again using a sharp scalpel. I decided to do another print of the north face of Everest! I was pleased with the result you can see here on the right. It reminds me of an old Japanese woodblock print or an illustration in an old book. I even just has time to do a tiny block in the same material of the 'Sacred Mountain'. It was only 2cm x 3cm! You can see it below.

The day was soon over. Lynne produced several pieces of glass-work that are going to be fired in the kiln at Uredale Glass in Masham. They will be ready for collection in a few weeks time.

We had both enjoyed a brilliant and creative day. This was thanks to ArtisOn. Located just outside Masham they run mainly one-day workshops in everything from pottery to blacksmithing, crochet to stained glass, paint and print to jewelery or photography. We also enjoyed a superb homemade lunch plus delicious homemade cakes in the afternoon.

The ArtisOn website enables you to view the full programme plus more detail about each workshop. Masham is also a wonderful place to visit with galleries and two famous local breweries.

ArtisOn - www.artison.co.uk

Masham - www.visitmasham.com

I hope you have enjoyed reading my latest blog. I would love to hear from you either by the secure email available on my 'Contact' page or by commenting on this blog.

Have a great weekend!
David

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"Because it is there!"

1/10/2017

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Lynne and David - Everest Base Camp . . . . . Tibet 2016

Where has time gone since October? Just an update blog to explain why I have been unable to blog for a couple of months. Lynne and I are currently on another journey which we didnt expect when stood at Everest Base Camp in Tibet in May! Lynne was diagnosed with cancer in late September. The cancer has affected her mobility and she is now in a wheelchair. She undergoes chemotherapy every three weeks. Lynne is an amazing woman and is bravely battling the cancer. So life has taken an unexpected turn. As you will appreciate each day is taken up with routines that leave little time for anything else. I will do my best to add blogs to 'Beyond the Sacred Mountains' when time permits. Thank you to all of you who have continued to visit my website while I have been out of action. Also a huge thank you to family, friends and church who are holding us in their prayers at this time. So below you will find a short blog about my hero, George Mallory, whose book 'Climbing Everest' I have just re-read. George coined the most famous words in mountaineering when answering why this mountain: "Because it is there!" I hope you enjoy it!

George Mallory has been one of my Everest heroes for decades! In May 2016 Lynne and I followed in his footsteps when we walked up onto the Rongbuk Glacier beneath the north face of Everest.
'Climbing Everest - The Complete Writings of George Mallory' has enabled me to feel the passion George had for the highest mountain in the world. Peter Gillman, who wrote the introduction to the book, writes on the inside cover . . . . .

"Mallory was unique in drawing a new literature from his mountain craft. For him, as for his predecessors, earth was still a heroic place with hidden parts promising novel experiences while the eyes of history were trained upon them.
But he was strongly inspired by the Bloomsbury group, unlike previous explorers, and a talented writer and poet. He chose to break with the Edwardian laconic stiff upper lip in favour of emotional truthfullness about the art of climbing. The result created a novel branch of mountaineering literature, as fresh and vivid as the feelings he recorded in handwriting under the most harrowingly extreme mountain-top conditions."

I took this photograph from the moraine of the Rongbuk Glacier in May 2016. You can clearly see the north-east ridge rising to the summit pyramid of Everest. It was on these upper ramparts that Mallory and Irvine disappeared in 1924.

Very early in the morning on the 11th May 2016 I stood on the hillside beside the Rongbuk Monastery. It was freezing! I had a clear view of the north face of Everest in the light of the early dawn. It was an awesome sight! George Mallory wrote of a similar experience from his chapter in 'Climbing Everest' entitled 'Mount Everest - The Eastern Approach 1921' . . . . .

"Even before the first glimmer of dawn the snow-mantled, slumbering monsters around us had somehow been touched to life by a faint blue light showing their form and presence - a light that changed as the day grew to a pale yellow on Everest and then to a bright blue-grey before it flamed all golden as the sun hit the summit and the shadow crept perceptibly down the slope until the whole mountain stood bare and splendid in the morning glory."

'Climbing Everest' is an excellent book. Being able to read George's writing has enabled me to feel the excitement, awe and wonder that he had for Mount Everest. I too feel the same. It is now a prized addition to my Everest library.

The very last photograph taken of Mallory and Irvine as they were preparing to climb the north-east ridge of Everest in 1924.

The north-east ridge (on the left) leading to the summit of Everest. I took this telephoto shot from the Rongbuk Glacier. In 1999 the remains of George Mallory's body were found on the snow covered slopes beneath the ridge.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my latest blog. I would love to hear from you either by secure email available on my website 'Contact' page or by commenting on this blog.
Regards
David

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Masham in Autumn and Lynne at ArtisOn!

10/31/2016

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Lynne's fused glass Christmas ornaments ready for the kiln! ArtisOn

While I was exploring Masham, Lynne was attending a fused glass workshop at ArtisOn in High Burton. Located just outside Masham ArtisOn runs a wide range of craft workshops from fused and stained glass, pottery, blacksmithing, crochet, stone masonry, painting, printmaking to jewellery and photography. Lynne really enjoyed her fused glass workshop and is really excited to see her Christmas pieces once they have been in the kiln. ArtisOn have just published their new 2017 diary of workshops which can be found on www.artison.co.uk.

Masham in Autumn October 2016

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Masham in Autumn!

10/30/2016

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Old Market Square in Autumn October 2016

A few days ago Lynne and I were in Masham in North Yorkshire. Lynne was on a fused glass workshop at ArtisOn in the nearby village of High Burton. So I had the entire day to explore Masham and the byways and pathways by the River Ure. It was a beautiful autumnal day with wispy clouds in a pale blue sky. I have uploaded a new gallery of photographs entitled 'Masham in Autumn' in 'Photographs'. After looking round the local Saturday market I made my way to St Mary's Church.

St Mary's Church in Masham October 2016

As I entered the church grounds I was struck by the amazing number of 18th century gravestones in perfect condition despite the passage of time. I spent time reading the fascinating glimpses into the stories of Masham families from over two hundred years ago. The interior of St Mary's, bathed in the soft light shining through the upper windows, was so peaceful. After exploring the nave, aisles and chancel I sat down for some time in prayer.

Track leading to the footpath alongside the River Ure October 2016

River Ure near Masham October 2016

I spent a wonderful couple of hours along the riverbank of the Ure and its tributary the River Burn. The autumnal colours were truly breathtaking. I found one secluded spot down by the riverbed where I spent half an hour memorised by the beauty of the river. It was here I found a piece of old pottery amongst the pebbles and pools.

Piece of old pottery I found in the riverbed of the Ure October 2016

You can find more photos of 'Masham in Autumn' in 'Photographs' in 'Beyond the Sacred Mountains'. On leaving the river I joined the footpath that took me past a huge field of turnips and back into Masham itself. I made my way to 'Johnny Bagdad's Cafe on the Square' for a refreshing pot of tea and homemade lemon cake. Earlier in the day I had already been there for a sausage bap and a mocha! I highly recommend the cafe. At the end of the day I joined Lynne at Uredale Glass, behind the Kings Arms, where she was placing her fused glass pieces in the big kiln. It was the end of a wonderful day!

Masham in Autumn October 2016

I hope you have enjoyed 'Mahsam in Autumn'. I would love to hear from anyone who visits 'Beyond the Sacred Mountains'. You can contact me by secure email on my 'Contact' page or simply by commenting on my blog.

Regards
David

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Ka Tiritiri o te Moana!

9/16/2016

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Lynne + David on Neve of Franz Josef Glacier Southern Alps New Zealand 1982

'Ka Tiritiri o te Moana' is the Maori name for the mountain range extending down the length of New Zealand's South Island. They are also known as the Southern Alps. Lynne and I travelled around New Zealand in August 1982. At the time we were living and working in Hong Kong. In the weeks prior to being in New Zealand we had been in Australia travelling from Sydney to Alice Springs and the 'Red Centre' on a coach and camping trip.

Upper snow and ice-field of the Franz Josef Glacier Southern Alps New Zealand 1982

Travel Journal entry for Monday 9th August 1982: "What a day! Flew up in a small 5 seater ski plane from Franz Josef Village. We went up through the clouds into the brilliant clear skies of the snowfields and mountains. Our plane landed on skis on fresh snow on the top 'neve' of the Franz Josef Glacier at a height of over 7,000 feet. It was deep powder snow up to our knees! We had breathtaking views of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman and other peaks over 10,000 feet. It was awesome and brought lumps to our throats!"

View from our ski plane of the Fox Glacier Southern Alps New Zealand 1982

"After taking off from the Franz Josef Glacier we had incredible views of the snowfields, glaciers and icy peaks. Our ski plane descended back down through the cloud to land on the airstrip at Fox Glacier Village. We then went for a two and a half hour guided trek up onto the Fox Glacier. We were given hob-nail boots and ice sticks. There are 360 named glaciers in New Zealand. The Franz Josef and the Fox Glaciers are the only glaciers in the world that come slithering down through subtropical rainforests. The Fox Glacier is formed of ice pushing down from 7,000 acres of packed snow up in the mountains. We had flown over this amazing mass of snow and ice in our ski plane."

Lynne and David on the Fox Glacier Southern Alps New Zealand 1982

View of upper Tasman Glacier from ski plane as we were about to land on snowfield!
Southern Alps New Zealand 1982

Travel Journal entry for Sunday 15th August 1982: "Late this afternoon we did another ski plane flight up onto the upper snowfield of a glacier. This time it was the Tasman Glacier on the eastern side of the Southern Alps near Mount Cook. The Tasman Glacier covers 12,000 acres and is 18 miles long. In parts it is 1,300 feet deep which is much deeper than glaciers in the Swiss Alps. The light was fading as we climbed above the clouds. We landed in fresh snow in a truly breathtaking landscape of ice and snow. We were surrounded by snow capped peaks in an area where Sir Edmund Hillary trained for his Everest climbs."

Our ski plane in the fading light on the snowfield of the Tasman Glacier
Southern Alps New Zealand 1982

Our ski plane flights were the highlight of our travels in the South Island of New Zealand. The tallest peak is Mount Cook ( 'Aoraki' in Maori) at 3,724 metres (12,218 feet). The Southern Alps lie along a geological plate boundary, part of the 'Pacific Ring of Fire', with the Pacific Plate pushing westwards and colliding with the Indo-Australian Plate. The resulting tectonic pressure causes earthquakes. You may remember the 2011 quake that hit the city of Christchurch and the Canterbury region of the South Island.

Mount Cook 3,724 metres (12,218 feet) Southern Alps New Zealand 1982

I have uploaded a new gallery of photos of the Southern Alps of New Zealand. The gallery is called 'New Zealand 1982' and is located in 'Photographs' on my website.

'Ka Tiritiri o te Moana' is a truly magnificent mountain range. I hope you have enjoyed travelling with me to this spectacular part of our world. If you do visit the Southern Alps a ski plane flight up onto the glaciers is a must!

As always I would love to hear from you either by email on my secure 'Contact' page or by commenting on my blog.
Regards
David

'Ka Tiritiri o te Moana'

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Welcome to the World!

9/6/2016

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As proud new grandparents we are delighted to announce the safe arrival of our beautiful granddaughter Tabitha. Seen here in her first travel experience on her first journey from hospital to home. Congratulations to Louisa and Jonny at this very special time. She is already becoming aware of the world around her. She is at the start of an incredible journey, the journey of life!

A couple of days ago Lynne and I celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary! It gave me the opportunity to look back at our travels together. I thought I would take this opportunity to share some of these awesome 'travel moments' in a photographic gallery called 'Travelling Together!' in 'Beyond the Sacred Mountains'. As I am still in the long process of digitally copying our travel slides the gallery does not yet show all our travels. I hope you enjoy our travels through the years!

David + Lynne Eiger, Monch + Jungfrau Switzerland 1973

We started our overseas travels together in 1973, when we were students, with a trip to the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland. Although we had both previously been to the Austrian Alps we were just spellbound at the mighty snow capped peaks of the Swiss Alps. We will never forget that moment when our train on the Schynige Platte funicular mountain railway came out of a tunnel revealing the awesome peaks of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau. The next day we went up on the Jungfraujoch railway to the highest railway station in Europe at 3,454 metres (11,332 feet). The railway actually runs through a tunnel inside the Eiger and the Monch mountains. The above photo of Lynne and I was taken at the Jungfraujoch that day! We knew then that we wanted to travel to see the world's great mountain ranges. However my greatest ambition was to see the Himalayas and especially Mount Everest.

Off to Iran! 1977

David + Lynne with their first view of Everest 1982 (rising above the ridge of Nuptse)

Lynne + David at Everest Base Camp in Tibet (north face of Everest behind) 2016

So here we are 43 years later! After our adventures in Switzerland we knew that we wanted to see the world together. We got married in 1975. We went to teach in Bandar Mahshahr in Iran in 1977. We escaped from the Iranian Revolution in 1979! We went to Hong Kong in 1979 for 2 years but stayed 18 years. Throughout our married life we have loved travelling and continue to do so up to the present day. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Lynne for being a truly wonderful travel companion. We are able to share so many treasured travel memories and adventures. So as our new granddaughter begins her journey of life I hope that she will grow up to enjoy seeing our awesome world!

**** I have uploaded a new travel photo gallery entitled 'Travelling Together!' in
'Photographs' on my website.

I would love to hear from you either by email on my secure 'Contact' page or by a comment on my blog.
Regards
David

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Two Trails!

8/28/2016

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Rodley Nature Reserve Trail near Leeds

On Thursday 25th August Lynne, Louisa and I enjoyed a couple of hours at Rodley Nature Reserve. As you can see from the photos it was a beautiful day. It is a wetland reserve created in 1999 on the site of a former sewage works on the outskirts of Rodley near Leeds. Close by is the River Aire and the Leeds Liverpool Canal. Between 2004 and 2006, five ponds were established to provide habitat for birds and dragonflies, each one planted with different species of plant. Later four more ponds, a long ditch and a marsh were added plus several areas of open water. The reserve is on a migratory route used by waders and waterfowl.

River Aire close by to Rodley Nature Reserve

The site floods in winter and provides good habitat for the waders and waterfowl. The nearby River Aire and the canal also attracts birds. Frogs, toads and newts breed in the reserve plus fifteen species of dragonfly. The reserve has successfully brought wetland and wildlife back into the Leeds area. We saw lots of birds but particularly enjoyed seeing two herons in one of the marsh ponds.

Wildflower Meadow Rodley Nature Reserve

The wildflower meadows in the centre of the reserve were truly stunning in the bright sunshine. It was incredible to think that just twenty years ago this was waste industrial land. It was great to see people of all ages enjoying the reserve and its wildlife. Young families were taking the opportunity to go pond dipping while serious 'birders', with all their camouflaged gear, were eagerly ticking off birds spotted in the different habitats.

Buddleia Rodley Nature Reserve

The Buddleia, commonly known as the 'butterfly bush' was full of bees and butterflies. Well cut paths, regularly mowed, enable access to all parts of the reserve. As we explored the different habitats we could hear the buzz of insects and the call of birds. Overhead a red kite surveyed the land below.

Sunflowers in the Wildflower Meadow Rodley Nature Reserve

As we walked round the reserve I was reminded of one of my favourite nature trails in Hong Kong. It was a trail I did on an annual basis as we always took our pupils from Bradbury School, when staying at a residential education camp in Sai Kung. It was called the Pak Tam Chung Nature Trail. Located in the scenic Sai Kung Country Park it is a riverside walk which eventually ends up at an old chinese village, Sheung Yiu, located on a tidal creek. The trail has stops along the way to observe the geographical features and wildlife characteristically found alongside a creek where fresh water meets salt water. The name 'chung' refers to the channel of brackish water where it meets the tidal creek. After many visits to the trail I just about knew all the details of the different stops along the trail! However I never lost interest as on each visit I often saw different birds, insects, plants according to the weather conditions. I even enjoyed sketching Pak Tam Chung and Sheung Yiu village on visits without the children.

The creek at the Pak Tam Chung Nature Trail Hong Kong

One of the highlights of the trail is the close-up view of mangroves lining the creek. You can see mudskippers and fiddler crabs moving across the mud when the tide is on its way out. Many of the plants along the trail were used by villagers long ago for different applications. At the end of the nature trail is Sheung Yiu Village founded by the Wong clan over 150 years ago. It is an old Hakka village abandoned over forty years ago and now a folk museum. The village had become relatively prosperous due to its lime kiln which produced lime for mortar in the expanding construction of Hong Kong in the nineteenth century. The village comprises of nine white dwellings, pigpens, cattle sheds all surrounded by a high wall and a watch tower built to guard against pirate raids. Inside the house are farm implements, objects of daily use, furnishings and Hakka clothing.

Sheung Yiu Village Pak Tam Chung Hong Kong

We plan to return to Hong Kong sometime in the not too distant future and a visit to the Pak Tam Chung Nature Trail is a must!

You may have noticed that some of my previous blogs are called 'Two Bridges', 'Two Beaches', etc. The wonderful benefit of travel is that places, people and events are forever stored in memory. So often when we visit places back home these memories are triggered by things usually evoked by one or sometimes all of the five senses.

The inspiration for 'Two Trails' was one of those amazing moments when our walk in the Rodley Nature Reserve near Leeds created strong memories of the Pak Tam Chung Nature Trail in Hong Kong.

I love sharing these special travel moments through my blog on 'Beyond the Sacred Mountains'.

**** I have just uploaded a piece of my travel journal writing from October 1989 in 'Travel Journals' on my website. It is called 'Sheung Yiu' and describes a walk I did along the Pak Tam Chung Nature Trail in Hong Kong.

If you have enjoyed 'Beyond the Sacred Mountains' I would love to hear from you either by secure email which is available on my 'Contact' page or by a comment on this blog.

Regards
David

* photo of Pak Tam Chung by mapio.net
* photo of Sheung Yiu by travelbag.hk

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The Sacred Mountain!

8/19/2016

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Machapuchare Annapurna Sanctuary Trek Nepal 1980

Our Annapurna Sanctuary trek in Nepal in 1980 was the first of many adventures in the Himalayas. Our most recent trip was to the Tibetan side of Everest in May of this year. Mountains have been a huge inspiration throughout my life from my first explorations as a boy on my local Blackstone Edge to walking amongst the awesome peaks of the Himalayas. Throughout the world mountains are revered for their spiritual nature. I am particularly inspired by one of my favourite mountains, Machapuchare, in that it has never been climbed to its summit. It is a sacred mountain. My website is called 'Beyond the Sacred Mountains' because of my passion for mountains throughout the world but especially the Himalayas.

**** My latest poem 'The Sacred Mountain' was inspired by the peak of Machapuchare. I have just uploaded it to the 'Poetry' section of 'Beyond the Sacred Mountains'.

Our first view of Machapuchare Nepal 1980

In December 1980 we trekked in the Annapurna region of Nepal. Our ultimate goal was the Annapurna Sanctuary. En-route to this high glacial basin our eastern horizon was dominated by the beautiful peak of Machapuchare. This majestic mountain, also known as the ‘Fish Tail’, is revered by local Nepalese. Machapuchare has never been climbed to its summit. The only attempt by a British team in 1957 stopped within 150 metres of the summit. Since then the mountain has been declared forever sacred and is now closed to climbers.

Machapuchare Nepal 1980

Our two week trek, with friends from Hong Kong, took us into the very heart of the Himalayas. During the day it was quite warm and we were able to wear t-shirts and shorts. However at night the temperature dropped to -10c! I have a great photo of Lynne holding a pair of socks we had left out on the tent guy line overnight. They were as stiff as cardboard in the morning! One of the joys of travelling for me is writing a travel journal to record our adventures. I still have our Annapurna journal written in a notebook made of Nepalese hand-made paper. Both Lynne and I wrote down our thoughts as we progressed on our trek.

Annapurna Trek journal Nepal 1980

Below are some extracts from our Annapurna Trek journal . . . . .

"We have now set up camp with incredible views of Machapuchare and the surrounding peaks. The fading sunlight caught the peaks in a beautiful pink glow. As soon as the light faded the mountains turned ice-grey and very forbidding. It is now going dark and cold. We are about to have our evening meal. Local people with stacks of wood or foliage on their backs are passing our camp on their way down the trail . . . . . "

. . . . "We were up at 6.00.am and packed by 7.00.am. The sky was crystal clear and all the peaks were very clear. As the sun rose its light caught the glistening ice and snow on the summits of Annapurna South, Machapuchare and Annapurna IV and II. It was hard to concentrate on our porridge with the fantastic sights around us! Finally we set off at 8.00.am. The trail through the woods and up and down the ridge was superb. There were now vistas at every corner with the Himalayas putting on a magnificent display under a clear blue sky . . . . "

David and Machapuchare Nepal 1980

.... "5.56.pm I am now sat in our dining tent. It is cold! We are now camped at Dorva which is high in the Modi Khola valley. In fact the valley is more of a gorge with a thundering river and waterfalls. We did our washing in the fast cold flowing stream which crashed down into the Modi Khola. Our porters are now singing Nepalese songs and preparing our evening meal. We can look up to the snowy eerie peak of Machapuchare towering above the gorge. The ice and snow is faintly glowing in the darkness. Twinkling stars are becoming brighter as the darkness comes on. . . ."

. . . . "The walk up to Machapuchare base camp was a very hard slog. We moved slowly and our packs felt very heavy. We had to go over big moraines to get to our camp. We had a welcome tea and brandy. The temperature dropped considerably as darkness came on. After our evening meal we all went straight to bed. It was freezing! . . . "

Machapuchare - the 'Fish-Tail' Nepal 1980

. . . . " After a cold and restless night we got up at 5.00.am. Breakfast in darkness just before dawn. Porridge, eggs, pancakes and jam! At 6.50.am we set off alongside a medial moraine. Again it felt hard going because of the altitude. The cloud had thickened during the night and we initially thought we were going to be unlucky. However as we climbed the clouds broke slightly and we got clearer glimpses of the peaks. The ascent to Annapurna Base Camp at 13,200 feet took us one and a half hours. We finally reached base camp with amazing views of the Annapurna Sanctuary. We had a super view back to Machapuchare as the wispy clouds cleared from the summit. Annapurna I was visible at the top end of the cwm through the wisps of white cloud. The patches of blue sky contrasted with the snow, rocks and cloud. It was great to reach our goal after a hard five day trek in. The Annapurna Sanctuary was awesome! . . . ."

The photo on the left is of Lynne and I in the Annapurna Sanctuary at an altitude of 4130 metres (13,550 feet). Behind us is the South Face of Annapurna I. It is the tenth highest mountain in the world at 8091 metres (26,545 feet). This awesome high glacial basin is surrounded by a ring of towering mountains. We had climbed the narrow pass between Hiunchuli and Machapuchare where glacial meltwaters pour into the Modi Khola River.

Machapuchare is forever etched into my memory! It was the inspiration for my poem 'The Sacred Mountain' which I finished a few days ago.

**** Today I uploaded 'The Sacred Mountain' into my 'Poetry' anthology in 'Beyond the Sacred Mountains'.

**** You can see more photos of our Annapurna Trek in a gallery in 'Photographs'.

**** My scrapbook page 'Sanctuary' celebrating the Annapurna Sanctuary can be viewed in a gallery in 'Scrapbooking'.

If you have enjoyed 'Beyond the Sacred Mountains' please get in touch either by secure email on my 'Contact' page or by a comment on this blog.

Regards
David

Annapurna Sanctuary Nepal 1980

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Full Steam Ahead - Dales to Darjeeling!

8/18/2016

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The Embsay + Bolton Abbey Steam Railway

On Tuesday Lynne, Louisa and I spent the afternoon enjoying the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway near Skipton. We travelled 'first-class' from the village of Embsay to the station for Bolton Abbey, a journey of just fifteen minutes! This North Yorkshire heritage railway uses part of the former Midland Railway route from Skipton to Ilkley. It was closed down by British Railways in 1965 and started operating as a preservation railway in 1981. It currently runs for a distance of 6 km (4 miles) carrying around 100,000 passengers a year. Embsay railway station itself was built in 1888. I love steam trains!

What a great school holiday job!

Embsay is situated about two miles north-east of Skipton.We visit Embasy at least once a month for our 'scrapbooking workshops'. In the mid-nineteenth century my ancestors lived and worked in the village as stone masons, probably in the nearby quarries. We also enjoy a local walk, around Embsay Reservoir at the foot of Embsay Crag, just above the village.

View of Embsay Crag from our first-class compartment!

It was great to look out of our compartment window (in a safe manner) and see the smoke and steam billowing from our engine. At various points the engine driver blew the train whistle. We eventually arrived at the Bolton Abbey station named after the nearby ruined 12th century priory. Most of the surrounding area is owned and managed by the Dukes of Devonshire. It was an easy one and a half mile walk to the abbey ruins via Bolton Abbey Old Bridge.

Lynne and Louisa on the footpath from the station to Bolton Abbey. You can see Beamsley Beacon (393 metres), a prominent landmark in Lower Wharfedale, in the distance.

River Wharfe and Bolton Abbey Old Bridge

Ruins of Bolton Abbey by the River Wharfe

The walk from the Bolton Old Bridge to Bolton Abbey offers tantalising views of the ruins. It was a hot and sunny day and so lots of people were picnicking by the river. The ruins of the 12th century Augustinian monastery, also known as Bolton Priory, sits in a bend of the River Wharfe. It was founded in 1154. In the early 14th century Scottish raiders caused the temporary abandonment of the site plus serious structural damage. Building work was still going on at the abbey when the 'Dissolution of the Monasteries' resulted in the end of the priory in 1540. However the priory is still holds services on Sundays and holy days. The surrounding moors (see above photo) were covered in purple heather.

Helicopter at the Devonshire Arms at Bolton Abbey

It was a 35 minute walk back to Bolton Abbey Station. As we passed the Devonshire Arms we saw a helicopter on the front lawn of the hotel. It was a difficult decision whether to go home by train and car or by helicopter!
Arriving at the station we were pleased to see our steam train waiting at the platform. As we slowly chugged back to Embsay my mind drifted back to another steam railway we had experienced while travelling in northern India. In 1994 Lynne, Louisa, Susie and I enjoyed a ride on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway India 1994

After a few days in Calcutta we travelled north by an overnight express train to New Jalpaiguri. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, also known as the 'Toy Train, runs up to Darjeeling in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a 2 ft narrow gauge railway built between 1879 and 1881. It is 48 miles long running from an elevation of just 100 metres (328 feet) above sea level to 2,200 metres ( 7,218 feet) at Darjeeling. Four modern diesel locomotives handle most of the scheduled services but we were lucky to travel on the train pulled by a steam locomotive (see above photo) on the Darjeeling to Ghum section. Ghum is India's highest railway station.

Susie and Louisa with Dad on the DHR train at Ghum

View of Darjeeling with the Himalayas in the background

We enjoyed a wonderful few days in Darjeeling. I was following in the footsteps of my heroes of the 1920's British Everest Expeditions. I have lots of stories of amazing coincidences we encountered while in Darjeeling. The highlight being a chance meeting with Heinrich Harrer of 'Seven Years in Tibet' fame, you may remember a recent film of the same name starring Brad Pitt! But more of these stories in a future blog. The development of Darjeeling dates back to the mid 19th century by the British as a hill station to avoid the heat of the plains in summer. We explored the colonial era architecture as well as the bustling streets of the lower town. The pedestrianised road known as 'The Mall' is the place to stroll in the early evening. In the early morning there are spectacular views of Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest mountain.

View of Kanchenjunga 8,586 metres ( 28,169 feet) above sea level from Darjeeling

Louisa, Susie with Lynne and David on a Darjeeling tea plantation India 1994

Our visit to a local tea plantation was very special because one of our small group actually grew up on this very plantation. Tim Hardingham, also a teacher in Hong Kong, had lived on the estate until he went away to boarding school back in England. His dad was the plantation manager. Tim had heard that I was organising a visit to Darjeeling so he asked if his family could join our party. The amazing highlight was when an old lady, his 'ayah' who had looked after him as a little boy, came out to see him. She hugged him but she was so small she was holding round his legs. A lovely heartwarming moment! It was so good to drink 'darjeeling tea' when having afternoon tea either in a cafe on The Mall or by a log fire in the old Windamere Hotel.

Susie and Louisa by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway steam engine in Ghum India 1994

So you can see why my blog title is . . . . . 'Full Steam Ahead - Dales to Darjeeling'. I hope you have enjoyed travelling by steam train in the Yorkshire Dales in England and on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway in the foothills of the Himalayas in India.

**** I am going to end this blog with a photo of Kanchenjunga I took at sunrise. We had travelled from Darjeeling to Gangtok in Sikkim. I wrote a poem entitled 'Kanchenjunga Dawn' which you can find in the 'Poetry' section of my website.

**** In the gallery 'Travel Scrapbook Double Pages', within 'Scrapbooking', you can see a page entitled 'All Aboard!' which is about our trip on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

If you have enjoyed 'Beyond the Sacred Mountains' I would love to hear from you either by secure email on my 'Contact' page or by a comment on this blog.
Regards
David

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A Horse and Three Sisters!

8/15/2016

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View from Sutton Bank North Yorkshire

On Saturday Lynne and I enjoyed a walk along the spectacular escarpment at Sutton Bank. As you can see from the photo above the weather was bright and clear. We parked the car at the North York Moors National Park Centre. Sutton Bank, also known as Roulston Scar, is a high point on the Hambleton Hills. We walked along the trail on the very edge of the escarpment with extensive views across the Vales of York and Mowbray. In the distance we could clearly see the Yorkshire Dales and the Pennines. The celebrated author and vet, James Herriot, gave the view from Sutton Bank the ultimate accolade of 'England's finest'.

Yorkshire Gliding Club Sutton Bank

As we approached Roulston Scar we had fantastic views of gliders from the Yorkshire Gliding Club being towed into the air. Sutton Bank has been used for the sport of gliding since the early 1930's. The escarpment ridge faces the prevailing westerly winds and is perfect for creating the up-draft needed for the gliders to soar into the skies above the vale below. We saw gliders being towed by a support aircraft and some being launched by a power winch on the ground. As we looked up into the sky above we could see several gliders making good use of the spiralling thermals.

The views along the trail were stunning. In the west we could see the white balls of Menwith Hill just beyond our home town of Harrogate. We could just make out the slender mast of Emley Moor near Huddersfield! Blackstone Edge (my first mountain!) was somewhere on this part of the horizon. The multitude of greens in the agricultural lands below were truly beautiful.

The Horse . . . . so this is the first part of the title of my blog! The walk along the escarpment eventually brings you to the famous Kilburn White Horse. As you can see on the adjoining photo it is not possible to make out the shape of the horse at this point! Later we drove down the steep road at the side of White Horse which rewarded us with a complete view of one of the most famous landmarks in North Yorkshire.

Kilburn White Horse is the most northerly turf-cut figure in Britain. At 314 feet long and 228 feet high it is even visible from Harrogate! I took this photo from just below the escarpment. It dates from 1857 when the outline of the horse was marked out by the Kilburn village schoolmaster, Thomas Taylor, and his pupils. Sutton Bank, geologically is formed of sandstone but after the underlying rock was exposed it was covered with white limestone chips. Today chalk chipping are added from time to time to make it more visible.

Lynne near the Kilburn White Horse North Yorkshire

As we looked at the cliffs and slopes of the escarpment of Sutton Bank we both said "Where does it remind you of?" We both instantly said the escarpment of "the Blue Mountains in Australia"!

The magnificent escarpement of the Blue Mountains New South Wales Australia

In 1996, while living in Hong Kong, we went to Australia for a holiday at Easter time. It was autumn time with clear skies and warm sunshine. We stayed for a few days at the Hydro Majestic Hotel, known as the 'Jewel of the Mountains', in the leafy town of Medlow Bath. It is located on the edge of the escarpment with breathtaking views of both the Megalong Valley and the Kanimbla Ranges.
The Blue Mountains are in a rugged region west of Sydney in New South Wales. The dramatic scenery encompasses steep cliffs, eucalyptus forests, waterfalls and villages dotted with guesthouses, art galleries and gardens. We were close to the town of Katoomba where lots of bushwalking trails go in either direction along the edge of the escarpment. It is this escarpment that came to mind while we were on Sutton Bank on Saturday.

The photo on the left is of Louisa, Lynne and Susie on a balcony at the Hydro Majestic Hotel in Medlow Bath in the Blue Mountains. We particularly enjoyed doing some hikes along the edge of the escarpment. The trail wound its way around protruding cliff promontories providing stunning views. They are called the Blue Mountains because of the 'blue tinge' the landscape takes on when viewed from a distance. The tinge is believed to be caused by incoming light in shorter wavelengths combined with emissions from abundant eucalyptus forests creating the famous blue haze.

Wentworth Falls Blue Mountains Australia

One of the most spectacular waterfalls we saw was Wentworth Falls. At Princes Rock we had a great view across to the falls which drop 300 metres! At nearby Katoomba we went on the steepest cable-driven funicular railway in the world. You can imagine the drop of the railway from this photo of the waterfall and the escarpment edge. It was quite a ride!

'Three Sisters' Blue Mountains Australia

Three Sisters! . . . . . the final part of my blog title! The Three Sisters is a spectacular rock formation located at Echo Point in Katoomba. The rocks represent three sisters who according to Aboriginal legend were turned to stone.

So there we have it . . . 'A Horse and Three Sisters'!

I hope you have enjoyed travelling to both North Yorkshire and the Blue Mountains in Australia.

*** I have recently added some more photos to my 'Yorkshire' gallery in 'Photographs' on my website.

I hope you are enjoying today's beautiful sunshine! Please get in touch either by email to my secure 'Contact' page or by a comment on my blog. I would love to hear from anyone who enjoys 'Beyond the Sacred Mountains'.

Regards
David

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David A. Stott

'Beyond the Sacred Mountains' is a website embracing my poetry anthology, photographic gallery, travel journals and scrapbook pages devoted to travel. My blog enables me to share my love of travel with others.

Relief collagraph of the north face of Everest - David Stott 2017​

Lynne and David - Everest Base Camp . . . . . Tibet 2016

I took this photograph from the moraine of the Rongbuk Glacier in May 2016. You can clearly see the north-east ridge rising to the summit pyramid of Everest. It was on these upper ramparts that Mallory and Irvine disappeared in 1924. ​

The very last photograph taken of Mallory and Irvine as they were preparing to climb the north-east ridge of Everest in 1924.​

Lynne's fused glass Christmas ornaments ready for the kiln! ArtisOn​

Masham in Autumn October 2016

Old Market Square in Autumn October 2016​

St Mary's Church in Masham October 2016​

Track leading to the footpath alongside the River Ure October 2016​

River Ure near Masham October 2016​

Piece of old pottery I found in the riverbed of the Ure October 2016​

Masham in Autumn October 2016​

Lynne + David on Neve of Franz Josef Glacier Southern Alps New Zealand 1982​

Upper snow and ice-field of the Franz Josef Glacier Southern Alps New Zealand 1982​

View from our ski plane of the Fox Glacier Southern Alps New Zealand 1982​

Lynne and David on the Fox Glacier Southern Alps New Zealand 1982​

View of upper Tasman Glacier from ski plane as we were about to land on snowfield! Southern Alps New Zealand 1982​

Our ski plane in the fading light on the snowfield of the Tasman Glacier ​ Southern Alps New Zealand 1982​

Mount Cook 3,724 metres (12,218 feet) Southern Alps New Zealand 1982​

'Ka Tiritiri o te Moana'

David + Lynne Eiger, Monch + Jungfrau Switzerland 1973

Off to Iran! 1977​

David + Lynne with their first view of Everest 1982 (rising above the ridge of Nuptse)

Lynne + David at Everest Base Camp in Tibet (north face of Everest behind) 2016​

Rodley Nature Reserve Trail near Leeds

River Aire close by to Rodley Nature Reserve

Wildflower Meadow Rodley Nature Reserve

Buddleia Rodley Nature Reserve

Sunflowers in the Wildflower Meadow Rodley Nature Reserve

The creek at the Pak Tam Chung Nature Trail Hong Kong

Sheung Yiu Village Pak Tam Chung Hong Kong

Machapuchare Annapurna Sanctuary Trek Nepal 1980​

Our first view of Machapuchare Nepal 1980​

Machapuchare Nepal 1980​

Annapurna Trek journal Nepal 1980​

Annapurna Trek journal Nepal 1980​

David and Machapuchare Nepal 1980​

Machapuchare - the 'Fish-Tail' Nepal 1980

Annapurna Sanctuary Nepal 1980

The Embsay + Bolton Abbey Steam Railway

What a great school holiday job!​

View of Embsay Crag from our first-class compartment!​

Lynne and Louisa on the footpath from the station to Bolton Abbey. You can see Beamsley Beacon (393 metres), a prominent landmark in Lower Wharfedale, in the distance.​

​ River Wharfe and Bolton Abbey Old Bridge​

Ruins of Bolton Abbey by the River Wharfe​

Helicopter at the Devonshire Arms at Bolton Abbey​

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway India 1994​

Susie and Louisa with Dad on the DHR train at Ghum​

View of Darjeeling with the Himalayas in the background​

View of Kanchenjunga 8,586 metres ( 28,169 feet) above sea level from Darjeeling​

Louisa, Susie with Lynne and David on a Darjeeling tea plantation India 1994​

Susie and Louisa by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway steam engine in Ghum India 1994​

View from Sutton Bank North Yorkshire​

Yorkshire Gliding Club Sutton Bank​

Lynne near the Kilburn White Horse North Yorkshire

The magnificent escarpement of the Blue Mountains New South Wales Australia

Wentworth Falls Blue Mountains Australia

'Three Sisters' Blue Mountains Australia

David A. Stott

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Relief collagraph of the north face of Everest - David Stott 2017

I took this photograph from the moraine of the Rongbuk Glacier in May 2016. You can clearly see the north-east ridge rising to the summit pyramid of Everest. It was on these upper ramparts that Mallory and Irvine disappeared in 1924.

The very last photograph taken of Mallory and Irvine as they were preparing to climb the north-east ridge of Everest in 1924.

Lynne's fused glass Christmas ornaments ready for the kiln! ArtisOn

Old Market Square in Autumn October 2016

St Mary's Church in Masham October 2016

Track leading to the footpath alongside the River Ure October 2016

River Ure near Masham October 2016

Piece of old pottery I found in the riverbed of the Ure October 2016

Masham in Autumn October 2016

Lynne + David on Neve of Franz Josef Glacier Southern Alps New Zealand 1982

Upper snow and ice-field of the Franz Josef Glacier Southern Alps New Zealand 1982

View from our ski plane of the Fox Glacier Southern Alps New Zealand 1982

Lynne and David on the Fox Glacier Southern Alps New Zealand 1982

View of upper Tasman Glacier from ski plane as we were about to land on snowfield!
Southern Alps New Zealand 1982

Our ski plane in the fading light on the snowfield of the Tasman Glacier
Southern Alps New Zealand 1982

Mount Cook 3,724 metres (12,218 feet) Southern Alps New Zealand 1982

Off to Iran! 1977

Lynne + David at Everest Base Camp in Tibet (north face of Everest behind) 2016

Machapuchare Annapurna Sanctuary Trek Nepal 1980

Our first view of Machapuchare Nepal 1980

Machapuchare Nepal 1980

Annapurna Trek journal Nepal 1980

Annapurna Trek journal Nepal 1980

David and Machapuchare Nepal 1980

What a great school holiday job!

View of Embsay Crag from our first-class compartment!

Lynne and Louisa on the footpath from the station to Bolton Abbey. You can see Beamsley Beacon (393 metres), a prominent landmark in Lower Wharfedale, in the distance.

River Wharfe and Bolton Abbey Old Bridge

Ruins of Bolton Abbey by the River Wharfe

Helicopter at the Devonshire Arms at Bolton Abbey

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway India 1994

Susie and Louisa with Dad on the DHR train at Ghum

View of Darjeeling with the Himalayas in the background

View of Kanchenjunga 8,586 metres ( 28,169 feet) above sea level from Darjeeling

Louisa, Susie with Lynne and David on a Darjeeling tea plantation India 1994

Susie and Louisa by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway steam engine in Ghum India 1994

View from Sutton Bank North Yorkshire

Yorkshire Gliding Club Sutton Bank